Wooded Island Bird Walk Report

It happens every exuberant spring migration day. Birds are everywhere, and so are the birders.

The group, on even a slow day, is hard to corral; which is not wanted nor desired. Besides, who has ever managed to get a predominant group of Hyde Parkers to sing in unison, except perhaps for the University Choir? Birds were everywhere!

Great looks were afforded to all. No one saw every single species that made an appearance. Randy S. would come close to that high mark. Oohs and Aahs were heard from every cluster of birders. We had a scope and our binoculars and over a dozen sets of eyes and the birds did not disappoint. They were there waiting for us to check out their fine spring feathering and hear their delightful songs. This was a day to rejoice and we did!

Of local note, this was the weekend that a male Kirtland’s Warbler stayed at Montrose Harbor. The last report from Montrose of this species was in 1996.

This coming Saturday, May 23rd, a group of us plan to make a trip to Cowles Bog in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore area. We plan to have a bite to eat after a morning of birding in Jackson Park. Depending on the number joining this extension trip, we may eat at Sunrise Café in Whiting, IN or at Popolano’s in Chesterton, IN, if there is a larger group. Everyone is invitedto join the trip. Randy Shonkwiler is coming, but he may be absorbed looking at butterflies and other insects. But Randy can multitask so birds will be on his agenda too. If you can arrange transportation, it should be a great adventure.

This is a group report, with many birders contributing to the list. Most of the birds were seen by a least several or all the birders. In addition to my own notes, I have included the field notes of Mark Webster and Randy Shonkwiler. The species count is for birds reported throughout the day around Wooded Island/Bobolink Meadow.

Canada Goose – X.

Wood Duck – 7.

Mallard – X.

Blue-winged Teal – 1. Male

BUFFLEHEAD – 1. Female remaining in area.

Green Heron – 5.

Black-crowned Night Heron – 4.

Red-tailed Hawk – 1.

Peregrine Falcon – 1.

Semipalmated Plover – 3.

Killdeer – 4.

Spotted Sandpiper – 8.

Solitary Sandpiper – 8.

Semipalmated Sandpiper – 3.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER – 1. Seen by three Field Museum ornithologists in the late afternoon, along the mudflats in front of the Japanese Garden.

Pectoral Sandpiper – 1.

Dunlin – 1.

Ring-billed Gull – X. Fly overs.

Caspian Tern – 3.

COMMON TERN – 3. North Lagoon. Usually a beach bird, and not common.

Chimney Swift – 30.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1.

Belted Kingfisher – 1.

Red-bellied Woodpecker – 1.

Northern Flicker – 1.

Eastern Wood Pewee – 1.

ALDER FLYCATCHER – 1.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER – 2.

Trail’s Flycatcher – 4.

LEAST FLYCATCHER – 9.

Eastern Phoebe – 1.

GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER – 3.

Eastern Kingbird – 6.

BLUE-HEADED VIREO – 1.

Warbling Vireo – 9.

Red-eyed Vireo – 3.

Blue Jay – 6.

Purple Martin – 5.

Tree Swallow – 2.

N. Rough-winged Swallow – 6.

Cliff Swallow – 15.

Barn Swallow – 25.

House Wren – 2.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 8.

Veery – 3.

Swainson’s Thrush – 4.

American Robin – X.

Gray Catbird – 28.

European Starling – X.

Cedar Waxwing – 6.

Tennessee Warbler – 7.

Nashville Warbler – 3.

Yellow Warbler – 4.

Chestnut-sided Warbler – 4.

Magnolia Warbler – 10.

Cape May Warbler

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER – 1.

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 15.

Black-throated Green Warbler – 5.

BLACKBURIAN WARBLER – 2.

Palm Warbler – 9.

Bay-breasted Warbler – 3.

Blackpoll – 4.

Black-and-white Warbler – 2.

American Redstart – 23.

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER – 1. Singing. Some of us viewed the perched warbler through a scope which really added to the sighting.

Ovenbird – 1.

Northern Waterthrush – 8.

MOURNING WARBLER – 1.

Common Yellowthroat – 6.

Wilson’s Warbler – 10.

CANADA WARBLER – 1.

Chipping Sparrow – 3.

Savannah Sparrow – 2.

Song Sparrow – 4.

Lincoln’s Sparrow – 7.

White-throated Sparrow – 6.

White-crowned Sparrow – 80.

Northern Cardinal – 1. Others heard.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK – 3.

BOBOLINK – 1. Male. Actually found in Bobolink Meadow! Reported by Liz Moyer and Randy Shonkwiler in the afternoon.

Red-winged Blackbird – X. Male & Female.

Common Grackle – 3.

Brown-headed Cowbird – 3.

ORCHARD ORIOLE – 1.

Baltimore Oriole – 15.

House Finch – 1.

American Goldfinch – 5.

House Sparrow – 1.

Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.

Recordings are not used to attract birds.

This report will be recorded on eBird as a group report for the Wooded Island Bird Walks.

The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year round. Birders always show up near Darrow Bridge at the start times. Newcomers are warmly welcomed.

Noteon Darrow Bridge: Darrow Bridge has been barricaded by the Department of Transportation. No one can cross. A high black metal iron fence has been erected on all four sides. It appears that the fence will remain in place until Darrow Bridge is completely rebuilt, which could be more than a year. The Bridge has been deemed unsafe.

Birders meet in the East parking lot, and walk around the North Lagoon/Basin and across the south steps of the Museum to get to Wooded Island.

The Walks start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Please note: The Wednesday morning Walks have been decommissioned. An informal group often meets, but the start time varies and the distance traveled can be curtailed.

Metered parking is available east of Darrow Bridge and is accessible from South Lake Shore Drive at 57th Street (labeled Science Drive on a small blue street sign). There is a Stop Light at 57th Street. Make a turn at the Stop Light towards the Museum. Turn Left (south) at the intersection of Science Drive and Columbia Drive. Go through the parking lot to the west end.

Note on Parking and Lots: While restoration is ongoing, heavy equipment has taken over half of the east parking lot, off of South Lake Shore Drive, and half of the southwest parking lot which has an entrance off of Hayes Drive (63rd St.) and just east of Cornell Drive. Birders will be able to find metered parking in both lots. The east lot is the preferred one, as it is located nearest the Darrow Bridge. The southwest parking lot would require that the entire Wooded Island be walked northward, and to cross the North Bridge to reach Darrow Bridge. There is also unmetered parking along Stony Island Avenue from 59th to 56th Street.